There are some great classic modern-hobby games that have been a staple in my house and one of those is 7 Wonders. Multiple players, loads of interaction and a great intro game for many, 7 Wonders is the game I often recommend to so many people. Now what if we take that card game, modernize it and add some dice? Let’s take a look and see what that might look like!
7 Wonders Dice is designed by Antoine Bauza with art by Agnes Ripoche. It is published by Repos Production and Asmodee Games. It plays 2-7 players in approx 30-45 mins.
Overview:
7 Wonders Dice is a roll-and-write style adaptation of 7 Wonders in which players develop a civilization by rolling and selecting dice that represent resources, construction, science, military, and other effects. The game is played over a series of rounds in which players build structures and progress their wonder to accumulate points.
Gameplay:
At the start of the game, each player receives a player board representing their civilization and a wonder they will construct. Dice corresponding to different categories that include basic resource dice as well as more advanced or specialized dice may be unlocked during play. A pool of dice is placed in a central area accessible to all players, with a fixed number of dice available at any given time. Players begin with minimal development on their sheets and no constructed buildings and try to advance it all in the game.
At the beginning of each round, a set of dice is rolled and placed in the central pool, rolled in a closed lid contained then revealed. Players then take turns selecting dice from this shared pool. When a player selects a die, they immediately apply its result by marking or activating the corresponding effect on their personal sheet. Dice faces typically provide resources, military strength, scientific symbols, coins, or construction actions. Some dice allow players to unlock new types of dice or improve their capabilities, expanding the options available in future rounds.
Players use the results of selected dice to construct buildings, advance stages of their wonder, or gain various benefits. Construction usually requires meeting specific resource requirements and then players mark the completed structure or wonder stage on their sheet, gaining its associated effect or points. Some dice results also provide immediate bonuses such as currency or additional actions, while others contribute to long-term scoring categories such as science or military.
Once all players have taken their selections for the round, a new round begins with a fresh roll of available dice. Over the course of the game, players develop their civilization by balancing resource generation with construction, deciding where to focus and progress. Additional dice types may enter based on completion of some of the rows. These will only be available to the players who unlock that die.
The game continues until three different building regions are completed. Scoring is resolved at the end of the game based on completed constructions, scientific progress, military strength, and other categories recorded on each player’s sheet. The player with the highest total score is the winner!
Impressions:
In 7 Wonders Dice, players have the opportunity to play a version of the original but with a fun twist to the gameplay. I really enjoyed how easy it was to pick it up and start playing, and the simultaneous turns is one of my favorite styles of games. It plays quick and fast once you follow and that alone can be a great thing in gaming with more casual players.
We were able to play it with a few younger players as well, there is little to no reading in this and it’s mostly numbers and symbols. So that makes it a great game for a family night to introduce to a wide array of ages!
The dry erase boards with the wax pencils is a different take from the normal dry erase markers, but honestly I like the pencils more. Less smear and they don’t dry out! A few gamers had to adjust to the different tool but they picked it up ok.
Overall this is a solid game with a great array of options that plays quick, smooth and in ways that mirrors the original well while still being its own brand-new thing. If you love a good roll and write, this will be right up your alley as well. So grab a friend or two, a wax pencil and get ready to explore everything going on in the kingdom in 7 Wonders Dice!
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